There were almost 50 percent more job vacancies in Central Minnesota during the fourth quarter last year than there were for the same period in 2012.

Employers in Central Minnesota reported 4,496 job vacancies during the fourth quarter last year, according to figures released Tuesday by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

That's the most for a fourth quarter in almost a decade — and 49 percent more than for the fourth quarter in 2012. The median wage offer for all occupations also was $11 per hour — highest since it was $11.24 during the second quarter of 2012. The fourth quarter total was down 12 percent from the previous twice-a-year survey in the second quarter of 2013. Second quarter job vacancies generally outnumber those in the fourth quarter.

The Central Minnesota economic development region defined by DEED includes Stearns, Benton, Sherburne and Wright counties.

The findings mirrored a statewide trend. Overall, Minnesota had more than 60,000 job vacancies during the fourth quarter last year. That was most during a fourth quarter in nine years.

In Central Minnesota, the most vacancies were in construction and extraction occupations (1,233). Those had a median wage offer of $10. Healthcare support (508) and food preparation and serving (409) were the other areas with at least 400 vacancies. Those had median wage offers of $12.94 and $8, respectively.

About 38 percent of the Central Minnesota vacancies were for full-time employment, down from 42 percent a year earlier. One-third of the vacancies were part-time (fewer than 35 hours per week), down from 45 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012. And 29 percent of the vacancies were temporary or seasonal, up from 13 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012. About 37 percent of all vacancies required at least a year of experience, 24 percent required post-secondary education and 22 percent required a certificate or license.

Information is gathered through a survey of about 10,000 firms in 13 regions.

"Our data suggest the labor market is coming back into alignment in the wake of the recession," DEED Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben said in a statement. "Increased job vacancies are a sign that the economy is growing and companies are looking for skilled workers."